"Disney Tackles Major Theme Park Problem: Lines"

[NJDad]

NY Times has an article up on Disney's ever evolving strategies to try to minimize wait times...

Says there's a new monitoring setup to track the lines.

Talks about sending characters to long lines to entertain the folks.

The Space Mountain strategy of adding interactive games to the lines.

Using apps to alert people to character meet and greets or shorter food lines.

And creating mini-parades to try to draw crowds from one part of a park to another.

Disney Tackles Major Theme Park Problem: Lines

ORLANDO, Fla. — Deep in the bowels of Walt Disney World, inside an underground bunker called the Disney Operational Command Center, technicians know that you are standing in line and that you are most likely annoyed about it. Their clandestine mission: to get you to the fun faster.

To handle over 30 million annual visitors — many of them during this busiest time of year for the megaresort — Disney World long ago turned the art of crowd control into a science. But the putative Happiest Place on Earth has decided it must figure out how to quicken the pace even more. A cultural shift toward impatience — fed by video games and smartphones — is demanding it, park managers say. To stay relevant to the entertain-me-right-this-second generation, Disney must evolve.

And so it has spent the last year outfitting an underground, nerve center to address that most low-tech of problems, the wait. Located under Cinderella Castle, the new center uses video cameras, computer programs, digital park maps and other whiz-bang tools to spot gridlock before it forms and deploy countermeasures in real time.

In one corner, employees watch flat-screen televisions that depict various attractions in green, yellow and red outlines, with the colors representing wait-time gradations.

If Pirates of the Caribbean, the ride that sends people on a spirited voyage through the Spanish Main, suddenly blinks from green to yellow, the center might respond by alerting managers to launch more boats.

Another option involves dispatching Captain Jack Sparrow or Goofy or one of their pals to the queue to entertain people as they wait. “It’s about being nimble and quickly noticing that, ‘Hey, let’s make sure there is some relief out there for those people,’ ” said Phil Holmes, vice president of the Magic Kingdom, the flagship Disney World park.

What if Fantasyland is swamped with people but adjacent Tomorrowland has plenty of elbow room? The operations center can route a miniparade called “Move it! Shake it! Celebrate It!” into the less-populated pocket to siphon guests in that direction. Other technicians in the command center monitor restaurants, perhaps spotting that additional registers need to be opened or dispatching greeters to hand out menus to people waiting to order.

“These moments add up until they collectively help the entire park,” Mr. Holmes said.

In recent years, according to Disney research, the average Magic Kingdom visitor has had time for only nine rides — out of more than 40 — because of lengthy waits and crowded walkways and restaurants. In the last few months, however, the operations center has managed to make enough nips and tucks to lift that average to 10.

“Control is Disney’s middle name, so they have always been on the cutting edge of this kind of thing,” said Bob Sehlinger, co-author of “The Unofficial Guide: Walt Disney World 2011” and a writer on Disney for Frommers.com. Mr. Sehlinger added, “The challenge is that you only have so many options once the bathtub is full.”

Disney, which is periodically criticized for overreaching in the name of cultural dominance (and profits), does not see any of this monitoring as the slightest bit invasive. Rather, the company regards it as just another part of its efforts to pull every possible lever in the name of a better guest experience.

The primary goal of the command center, as stated by Disney, is to make guests happier — because to increase revenue in its $10.7 billion theme park business, which includes resorts in Paris and Hong Kong, Disney needs its current customers to return more often. “Giving our guests faster and better access to the fun,” said Thomas O. Staggs, chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, “is at the heart of our investment in technology.”

Disney also wants to raise per-capita spending. “If we can also increase the average number of shop or restaurant visits, that’s a huge win for us,” Mr. Holmes said.

Disney has long been a leader in technological innovation, whether that means inventing cameras to make animated films or creating the audio animatronic robots for the attraction It’s a Small World.

Behind-the-scenes systems — typically kept top secret by the company as it strives to create an environment where things happen as if by magic — are also highly computerized. Ride capacity is determined in part by analyzing hotel reservations, flight bookings and historic attendance data. Satellites provide minute-by-minute weather analysis. A system called FastPass allows people to skip lines for popular rides like the Jungle Cruise.

But the command center reflects how Disney is deepening its reliance on technology as it thinks about adapting decades-old parks, which are primarily built around nostalgia for an America gone by, for 21st century expectations. “It’s not about us needing to keep pace with technological change,” Mr. Staggs said. “We need to set the pace for that kind of change.”

For instance, Disney has been experimenting with smartphones to help guide people more efficiently. Mobile Magic, a $1.99 app, allows visitors to type in “Sleeping Beauty” and receive directions to where that princess (or at least a costumed stand-in) is signing autographs. In the future, typing in “hamburger” might reveal the nearest restaurant with the shortest wait.

Disney has also been adding video games to wait areas. At Space Mountain, 87 game stations now line the queue to keep visitors entertained. (Games, about 90 seconds in length, involve simple things like clearing runways of asteroids). Gaming has also been added to the queue for Soarin’, an Epcot ride that simulates a hang glider flight.

Blogs that watch Disney’s parks have speculated that engineers (“imagineers,” in the company’s parlance) are also looking at bigger ideas, like wristbands that contain information like your name, credit card number and favorite Disney characters. While Disney is keeping a tight lid on specifics, these devices would enable simple transactions like the purchase of souvenirs — just pay by swiping your wristband — as well as more complicated attractions that interact with guests.

“Picture a day where there is memory built into these characters — they will know that they’ve seen you four or five times before and that your name is Bobby,” said Bruce E. Vaughn, chief creative executive at Walt Disney Imagineering. “Those are the kinds of limits that are dissolving so quickly that we can see being able to implement them in the meaningfully near future.”

Dreaming about the future was not something on Mr. Holmes’s mind as he gave a reporter a rare peek behind the Disney operations veil. He had a park to run, and the command center had spotted trouble at the tea cups.

After running smoothly all morning, the spinning Mad Tea Party abruptly stopped meeting precalculated ridership goals. A few minutes later, Mr. Holmes had his answer: a new employee had taken over the ride and was leaving tea cups unloaded.

“In the theme park business these days,” he said, “patience is not always a virtue.”

[Joannelet]

Thanks for the article!!!
I haven't heard about the rumor of the wristbands....that would be interesting......

[disneyboundagain]

That article is nothing more than Disney propaganda. Their true plan to decrease the length of the lines is to: 1) increase the ticket prices, 2) increase the menu prices while decreasing the quantity/quality of selections, and 3) convert more areas to retail sales.

Honestly, we still love it there and will continue to go as often as we can. But, the love has diminished. Diminished to the point that 2 years ago we backed out at the last second on a $25k DVC purchase. We're just not real comfortable with where things will stand in 10-20 years.

[faline]

That article is nothing more than Disney propaganda. Their true plan to decrease the length of the lines is to: 1) increase the ticket prices, 2) increase the menu prices while decreasing the quantity/quality of selections, and 3) convert more areas to retail sales.

I'm not sure I would draw the same conclusions from this article. I truly think they are concerned about ramifications from long waits on a generation that has become accustomed to immediate access. Where one had to wait for a television executive to decide to re-air a favorite movie; now one pops in a dvd. Where one had to go to the library to got a book; one now downloads an e-book; where booting your computer meant you could go get a cup of coffee; one now expects all programs to be available within 30 seconds or less.

Being able to service more folks in a shorter period of time on rides and for dining will provide more satisfied customers and will, for sure, add to the bottom line. But, rather than necessarily increasing ticket prices, it may allow the prices to remain more stable for longer periods of time ensuring they don't price themselves out of the market. Same with dining.

Allowing quicker purchases would mean that less retail locations are needed to maintain the same level of income from retail sales.

[disneyboundagain]

I'm not sure I would draw the same conclusions from this article. I truly think they are concerned about ramifications from long waits on a generation that has become accustomed to immediate access. Where one had to wait for a television executive to decide to re-air a favorite movie; now one pops in a dvd. Where one had to go to the library to got a book; one now downloads an e-book; where booting your computer meant you could go get a cup of coffee; one now expects all programs to be available within 30 seconds or less.

Being able to service more folks in a shorter period of time on rides and for dining will provide more satisfied customers and will, for sure, add to the bottom line. But, rather than necessarily increasing ticket prices, it may allow the prices to remain more stable for longer periods of time ensuring they don't price themselves out of the market. Same with dining.

Allowing quicker purchases would mean that less retail locations are needed to maintain the same level of income from retail sales.

Sorry, that was my poor attempt at humor. It just seems that Disney has become more focused on increasing profits, and doesn't care about a corresponding increase, or at least maintaining, the overall "experience".

In my opinion, "less retail locations" and "same level of income" will never cut it for Disney management (stockholders).

[faline]

In my opinion, "less retail locations" and "same level of income" will never cut it for Disney management (stockholders).

You may be right but, I guess I prefer to think optimistically!

[Aurora]

It's a very interesting behind-the-scenes article. If it's true that one day Aladdin will "remember" my kids' names because of their wristbands, that's both really cool and creepy at the same time. But probably no weirder than the characters reading their old souvenir cast member name tags my kids used to wear. Just a different tool for the same thing.

The NYT article online is accompanied by a photo of guests being "entertained" at game stations in the Space Mountain line. My hope is that Disney doesn't fall back on the ubiquitous interactive screen to entertain guests in line. (Or even on rides, as in the descent on Spaceship Earth.)

Also, I wonder how many of those guests who experience 9 attractions in a day at the Magic Kingdom arrived at park opening. My guess is, not many.

[faline]

Also, I wonder how many of those guests who experience 9 attractions in a day at the Magic Kingdom arrived at park opening. My guess is, not many.

Or they're not interested in riding anything that isn't an e-ticket ride!

[DizneyRox]

This is "just" an extension of the FastPass system. And I'm not necessarily against it. But it boils down to, you can't spend money if you're waiting in a line.

What it doesn't address is you won't buy anything if there's nothing worth buying. Until that gets addressed, I'll continue to keep my spending money in my wallet, regardless of the number of rides I've been on in any given day.

I'm not purchasing anything, not because I'm waiting in lines, but because there's nothing I see that's worth purchasing. These past trips I've been doing more and more lounging around the parks and resorts, so time is not an issue. Actually, I've almost given up on shopping because I know there's nothing there.

Same with meals... The menus are so much alike now, after just a few days I'm really not in the mood to eat the same old same old... I'm cooking more and more in the room, but I see that's not an option for every body. But you've got two revenue streams that are hurting right now, mechandise and food service. I hope they are not thinking that less time in line is going to make significant strides towards recovering profits in those areas.

[TheRustyScupper]

I will reserve judgment, and hope for solutions.
However,

1) If they implement the wristbands, I will protest.
2) At least as described.
3) An RF band can be read from several feet away.
4) Thus, a crook can get your info by walking past you.
5) Then, your credit card can be used and sold immediately.
6) By the time you are done for the day, the card can be max'd out.

NOTE: Although bad for a credit card, the card can be stopped and you are out no money. If done with a debit card, you can be ruined. Even if your bank refunds your account loses,
. . . your account is out of money for days
. . . you can be penniless for a week or so
. . . your checks bounce and you bounce-check charges
. . . you can have you credit rating ruined
All for the sake a buying while in line.

[JPL]

I think it's definitely about making more money! Just about everything Disney has done in the last 10 years has been some form of a money grab. I am in no way saying they are wrong for doing so but this is really nothing new. Fast Pass was designed to get people out of the lines and into the shops and restaurants. DME was designed to keep people on property to spend more money. Photopass was designed to get people to spend money on pictures. Sure they put a positive spin on things with all the guest experience jive but overall it's all about bottom line. This is just another addition to the list.

[PrettyMinnie]

This is "just" an extension of the FastPass system. And I'm not necessarily against it. But it boils down to, you can't spend money if you're waiting in a line.

That's what I thought after reading as well.

[TiggeRia]

If their goal is to increase profits by decreasing wait times, I say go for it. First of all, Disney is a business, and they should be looking for ways that will increase their profits. As the same time, I have absolutely no desire to stand in a line for 60 minutes for a 2 minute (or less) ride. If I find myself in a park that has excessive wait times, I become grumpier and am less apt to spend money as I wind up leaving before the day is over. I find that I definitely spend more time at the park when wait times are minimal and I ride multiple times. When I am happy, I am definitely more apt to spend money. I don't see this as a bad thing. Not too sure how I feel about the credit card on the wrist band thing....too many things to go wrong there. But I do feel that Disney wants to improve their guest experiences and therefore that will improve their bottom line.

[TiggeRia]

Oh, and I am all for being entertained while in a line. When the line is interactive and interesting, it goes much, much faster...at least in my head. I did not mind waiting in line at the Forbidden Journey line in Universal because it was interactive and there was so much to see. I don't really find that in lines like the one for BTMR or similar rides. When my mind is busy, the time passes quicker. Less time to think about being bored and what else I could be doing.

[crltkcagle]

Sounds great to me! Please entertain my children while waiting in lie so they can stop annoying me! I hope disney brings this idea to life!

[CaptSmee]

That article is nothing more than Disney propaganda. Their true plan to decrease the length of the lines is to: 1) increase the ticket prices, 2) increase the menu prices while decreasing the quantity/quality of selections, and 3) convert more areas to retail sales.

I disagree completely with what you have to say on this article. I think it's great that Disney is trying to take this approach at crowd control and I can say I have seen it in action, other than the parade being brought into a land. I've never seen it anywhere but the hub location. I have been in line for Pirates when the line began to back up and suddenly Jack Sparrow appeared mingling with guests in the queue. I have been on Big Thunder and have been stopped before exiting the ride as they add more trains and when we got off there was noticeably more guests in line. And I do enjoy the interactive queues at Space Mountain, Toy Story Mania, and Soarin' and look forward to more being installed like at Winnie the Pooh.

I can say that the competitor's don't seem to mind that you wait in a boring, winding line that used to be the norm in the past.

[BellesRose]

In my opinion, the wristband thing is the stupidest idea I've ever heard.

[UCJen]

In my opinion, the wristband thing is the stupidest idea I've ever heard.

I agree. Some of the things in the article were good ideas, however this was not one of them. My husband won't even link up a credit card to our KTTW when we go.

As far as inducing people to spend money...how about selling something other than cheap, ubiquitous tat? It's so obvious and they try to rectify this issue in such oblique ways.

Bring back the unique souvenirs!

[Ian]

As far as inducing people to spend money...how about selling something other than cheap, ubiquitous tat? It's so obvious and they try to rectify this issue in such oblique ways.

Bring back the unique souvenirs!

I agree totally.

The thing is, this is a problem that the MBA types running the company now will never figure out. Ever

I would bet any amount of money that, barring some incredibly dramatic shift in leadership, you'll never see that change made. Instead of slapping their foreheads and going, "Duh! People stopped buying as much as soon as we replaced all the good stuff with this cheap, made-in-China junk! How foolish of us!" they'll continue to try and find ways to maximize profit on the merchandise people do buy by consolidating brands (i.e. Disney Parks), reducing or removing unique merchandise entirely (i.e. no more resort-specific merch), and leveraging that additional bulk buying power to get better per-unit prices.

The thing is ... if people don't buy them, it doesn't matter that your margin is 80%. A purchase of $0 always equates to a profit of $0.

[Tekneek]

If they start putting guest information into RFID tags, then people will start bringing RFID readers onto property and grabbing all of that information. Why would they? Just because they can, at first. Once they find out what it contains, then there may be malicious actors coming in later. I hope they cook in some sort of encryption scheme in, or make sure that people are content with the info being "in the clear" (although the ignorant consent to all kinds of bad things).

There are no easy answers to this. I'm glad they're at least talking about trying. They have to acknowledge a problem before they have any chance at fixing it.